New or Added information

I have decided to expand my blog to cover urban farming this year. I feel that that is more in line with what I have been doing, (there just wasn't a name for it at the time) I just was doing what needed to be done. Now it has been a few years since I have had chickens, rabbits or horses but I hope that some of you might find the information that I have learned helpful or at the least entertaining. A bit of back ground of some of the animals I have raised. Chickens, rabbits, ducks, turkeys, horses, cats, dogs, and fish ( aquarium fish, not for eating) I have canned, frozen and dyed fruit and vegetables. I have grown and from produce that I have bought from farmers markets and the grocery store.
I plan on covering more art, and more cooking. (Two things I love to do and share.)

Till next time.

Happy Planting

Starting plants from seeds up date

I finally got two videos up loaded to YouTube. The address for my you tube channel is
http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening (see link click on title)
While you are there you may as well follow my YouTube blog also. I put videos up all the time.
Just click on the subscribe tab.
I need to transplant the tomatoes and the cucumbers, but it wouldn't hurt to transplant everything that I have planted so far. Now all I need to do is make the time.
Please ask any questions you may have or just leave a comment.
Thank you.
Till next time

Happy Planting

Seeds 2010 season

Okay, I have been getting bombarded with this years seed catalogs. So it must be that time of year were we all buy up all the neat seeds that we hope will grow in our zone.
I was going to just use only the seeds that I have left over form last year and the year before. I was doing good till I started looking at the King of all seed catalogs Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
This catalog is so good that they call it the “Pure Seed Book” I love it.
So I have decided to do an inventory of last years seeds and I have 71 packs of seeds, now that is more than enough for my 1/10 acre garden and than some but, I looked at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and I know that the germination on old seeds go's down (right?) so I have justified getting more seeds, and I will be ordering seeds I don't have so all is good.
I will only be ordering 12 more packs of seeds. (Not to bad)
I have started seeds indoors last week. Mostly herbs, but I did plant some lettuce, I am ready to be eating my own green once again. I am thinking next winter I will have two flats of lettuce going all year.
It looks like I will be out side in the next few weeks getting the garden ready for planting. I will keep you informed as to how it is going.

Till next time.

Happy Planting

New Year

Okay the New is hear and I am now getting my seed catalogs in the mail. I am all ready dreaming of next years garden. With a cold front on its way in and the weatherman is calling for up to an inch of snow and temperatures staying below 25 degrees for the next few days, what a better way to make it through this cold spell than planning for next summer. If I had to say now what I will plant, its looking like a lot of herbs, some tomatoes (not as many as last year only 3 or 4 plants) some beets, carrots, lettuce, pumpkin, onion, garlic, and the must have potatoes. I am also going to have a smaller garden. I will be putting in native plants (grass land seed) in a big part of the garden. I am going for a nice place to go year round, We'll see if I can pull this off.
Now is a great time to be composting. I have three composers going right now getting compost ready for this spring.
Here is a recipe that I made last night. Believe it or not it is very good and I know I will be having it again.

My version of Chicken Hash

Chicken hash
4 cups potato
4 cups cooked chicken
½ cup Kohlrabi
½ cup onion
¼ teas spoon salt (or less)
¼ tea spoon pepper (or more)
1 tea spoon sage
2 table spoons olive oil

Add one table spoon olive oil in to skillet, turn burner on medium heat.
Cut potato in to small cubes (about ¼ in x ¼ in)
Once the oil is hot put in potato's.
Cut kohlrabi and onion in to small cubes.
Cut precooked chicken in to bite size peaces.
After potato's are soft and browned on the out side add kohlrabi, onion, salt, pepper, sage, and chicken to skillet. Cook tell chicken in warm add 2nd table spoon of olive oil if it is looking like it is drying out.
Once every thing is warmed up serve and enjoy. Adjust heat as not to burn any of the ingredients. Onion should just start to caramelize.
This dish can be served alone, on a bed of lettuce, or with eggs and toast.

Use your summer harvest with this dish.

Till next time Happy healthy cooking

The Little Lizard

I was out front enjoying the nice fall day, after being stuck in the house for the past three days due to cold and some snow. I saw a little lizard out and about soaking up some of the afternoon sun. I have uploaded a short clip on you tube of my little garden friend.
Everything except for the Brussels sprouts has been harvested. I am going to burn the weeds and let the ground rest for the rest of the year.

Till next time

Enjoy the sunshine

The 2009 season is winding down

The 2009 growing season is coming to an end here, we have been getting rain and cold temperatures at night. I decided to get the tomatoes in even though a lot of them are still green. All the beans are harvested, still waiting for the dent corn to dry. We have snow peas that need harvesting I'll keep picking till they die out. Brussels sprouts will be another month or so, but it looks like I can get the pumpkins soon. I planted a late crop of turnips, carrots, and Swiss chard and believe it or not I finely got carrots to come up not a lot but some I'll take the victory. Now that all most all the tomato plants are up I'll be burning them so I can get the ashes in the the ground for next year. Here is a good place to add, do not compost any tomato or potato plants. The plants can carry a soil born pathogen that will contaminate your soil. Some scientist estimate that the pathogen lives in the soil for up to 100 years. This pathogen will spread disease to your other plants and make the ground unusable. So with that in mind I just burn the plants to be safe. I have enough trouble in my garden I don't need to add more.
I made some green tomato relish for the first time this year and canned it, it is so good. I have been thinking of all kinds of dishes that it will go good with. Keep an eye out for new recipes, I will share with you how I use the relish.
I've dried the beans, and the beats are caned and frozen. Now I am just waiting for the last few vegetables to finish up and I'll be prepping for next season. For me this is an exciting time of year and a sad one, I get to see all that God has given this summer and the hope of next year, but I also see the garden emptying out after I pull or turn the plants under. But winter is coming and to me that is the start of new hope for next year. So lets hope for a good winter, a nice white blanket over the ground as the soil sleeps and gets ready for work next summer.

Till next time

Happy Gardening

Worm Bin Outdoors

I installed another compost box in the garden. It is 4' x 2' x 2' made of ¾” untreated plywood.
I buried the box 2' deep, by burring the box it will insulate it so the worms don't freeze in the winter or get to hot in the summer. Using worms in your compost bin will help speed up the compost process and you don't have to turn the bin every other day or so. Worms will eat ½ there weight every 24 hours and will double there numbers every 60 to 90 days. Worms will eat old bread, vegetable scraps, manure, paper, grass clippings and leafs. Don't feed your worms any meat, fats or pet faeces. Composting with worms can cut your wast to the street down up to 95% a week and you will have the best soil amendment on your block. Just add your compost to your garden and soon you will have the best garden around. You can see the video on the worm box on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtFYwxSOeLM

Till Next time.



Happy Gardening / Composting